It’s our first night together.

  We have two rooms with an adjoining bathroom between them. I let them decide how to handle the first night. I’m not forcing anything—but I am still a guy. I have to try.

  I just got back from exploring the ship. There are an unusual number of portapotties onboard, and the built-in bathrooms are long-drops. Odd. The labels say Manufactured in the Shadowfall Kingdom. I’ll ask Roka later.

  Ah. There they are.

  My wives.

  Tonight, I’m with Felmina.

  We’re in her room. Evening light fills the space.

  She asks me to sit.

  She turns away and begins loosening her dress.

  “Please listen to the end,” she says softly. “I need to show you something.”

  When the dress slips free, I see it.

  A tail.

  “I’m a half,” she says.

  “Half what?”

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “Half beast-kin. Cat type. My father was human. My mother wasn’t.”

  She hesitates.

  “That’s why I was going to be sent home. On my thirty-second birthday, the ears come in… unless we marry before then.”

  “Marry?”

  “If you reject me, please at least have my body so I may continue—”

  I stand and wrap my arms around her from behind before she can finish.

  She’s shaking.

  “I don’t care.”

  She turns her head slightly.

  “You’ll accept me… or just my body?”

  “I love you.”

  She freezes.

  Then melts.

  “I love you too.”

  We stay like that for a while.

  Then she smiles.

  “Let’s… play a little.”

  The night passes gently.

  Warmly.

  The next morning, I wake with her in my arms.

  It was… amazing.

  She smiles.

  “Morning, stud.”

  “Please don’t call me that in public.”

  She laughs.

  The next night, I’m with Roka.

  We talk. We drink a little.

  When I touch her more closely, she doesn’t stop me—but something feels wrong.

  She’s shaking.

  “I promised,” she says. “We’re married, so…”

  I stop.

  I kiss her softly.

  “Goodnight.”

  I pull her into bed and hold her.

  “We’ll just talk,” I say. “Maybe kiss. Then sleep.”

  She relaxes.

  “I love you,” I tell her.

  She clings to me.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispers.

  “It’s okay.”

  The next morning, she’s gone.

  Breakfast waits. Voices argue next door.

  I quietly retreat.

  That night, I return.

  Both of them are waiting—together.

  Lingerie.

  Confidence.

  Felmina smiles.

  “Come sit. I’ll explain.”

  Roka takes my hand.

  “I think I’m ready now.”

  I don’t argue.

  The rest of the cruise passes in a blur.

  When we return, I finally ask Roka about the portapotties.

  She explains.

  The king funded an entire development project with them.

  Of course he did.

  We leave for my new territory soon after.

  Moonlight Farming Area Community.

  Fields as far as the eye can see.

  I am not a farmer.